Channel Catfish

Channel catfish The Trawl Survey has captured channel catfish from waters with salinities as high as 20 parts per thousand. They inhabit all tributaries of Chesapeake Bay and typically reach 60 cm (2 ft.) in length (although they have been reported to reach 100 cm (3.3 ft.)). The diet of channel catfish includes fishes and insects.
Juvenile catfish Juvenile catfish can be difficult to distinguish from one another. In this photo, the top fish is a blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) and the bottom fish is a channel catfish. The main differences between the species at this size (about 1 inch in length) are the shape of the head (the channel catfish has a narrower head) and the coloration of the body (the blue catfish is blue/gray while the channel catfish is olive green). These fish were collected from the James River in July.

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This species first recruits to the survey gear in June.
The Young-of-Year cutoff values are:
- June: 0-50 mm.
- July: 0-80 mm.
- August: 0-105 mm.
- September: 0-120 mm.
- October: 0-130 mm.
- November: 0-130 mm.
- December: 0-130 mm.
- January: 0-130 mm.
- February: 0-130 mm.
- March: 0-130 mm.
- April: 0-140 mm.
- May: 0-150 mm.
Index months are in bold.
In 2018, the recruitment window for juvenile and age 1+ Channel Catfish was changed from January to April to the new period that occurs from September to November. All annual indices for Channel Catfish were recalculated to reflect the new recruitment period.
Because Channel Catfish are restricted in their distribution, an index of abundance is calculated for each tributary. Only stations in the upper portions of the rivers are used.
The Age 1+ index for this species contains several year classes. It may be possible to split out individual age groups in the future.

Data collected after the transition to a new vessel and net (June 2015) have been adjusted by a species-specific calibration factor.